Have some stubborn pounds that just won't go away? Need to lose the spare tire before swimsuit season? There's a lot of conflicting information out there about how to lose weight fast, but by following these basic tips you can safely lose the weight you want.

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Steps

Method 1 of 3: Form a Plan

1

Calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). Your BMR is the amount of energy that your body expends on a daily basis if you were at rest all day. Raising your BMR will increase the amount of calories you burn, which will lead to weight loss.

To calculate your BMR, you have to use a fairly complex equation that takes into account weight, height, sex, and age. There are several calculators available for free online, such as this one.

The BMR equation is accurate for most body types, though it will underestimate a very muscular person and overestimate a very overweight person.

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2

Schedule time to exercise. The key to a successful exercise program is a strict routine. Give yourself time to work out without feeling rushed.

There is no solid evidence that exercising at any particular point in the day burns more calories. Instead, pick a time of the day where you won't have interruptions or other responsibilities.

Working out in the morning tends to lead to a higher level of consistency in exercise routines.[1] Exercising before the work or school day begins helps keep other obligations from interfering. Many people also find that working out early energizes them for the rest of the day.

Exercising too close to bedtime can lead to difficulty falling asleep, as your heart rate will still be elevated.

Ultimately, you will want to pick a time that works best your your energy cycle throughout the day.

3

Create a food journal. This journal will track the calories you intake as well as the calories you burn. Tracking these helps guide your diet to maximize your metabolism.

For each day, track what time you eat, what you are eating, and the approximate calories of what you ate.

Be sure to note which food groups, if any, dominate your diet.

On the same page, note what you did for exercise, how long you did it, and how intense it was. Also write down the approximate number of calories burned. While each person's calories burned will vary quite dramatically, average rates can be found in the chart here.

Keep track of your weight for the day.

4

Lose weight fast, but not too fast. Rapid weight loss can be very hazardous to your health.

The average adult can safely lose between 1 and 2 pounds per week. It may seem low, and not as flashy as losing 30 pounds in 30 days, but you are much more likely to keep the weight off if you lose it in a steady, natural way.

Method 2 of 3: Altering Your Diet

1

Eat more greens. Fruits and vegetables provide your body with lots of energy and essential vitamins and minerals.

Broccoli contains no fat and is about 40% protein. It also contains many complex carbohydrates that take a long time to digest. This helps give you lasting energy throughout the day, and burns calories during the digestive process.

Spinach is full of vitamins and fiber. It makes a great base for a salad that will keep you satisfied.

Beans are high in protein and fiber, and can be very low in fat depending on how they are prepared.

Avoid iceberg lettuce, as it contains virtually no nutrients.

There is effectively no limit on how many servings of fruits and vegetables are healthy, so use this to your advantage when you're feeling hungry.

2

Drink lots of water. Water is essential to the proper functioning of the body. As you increase your workout regimen, you increase your risk of dehydration.

The average person should drink about 8 cups of water a day, for a total of around 64 ounces. While exercising, it is recommended that you drink an additional 2 cups of water. This will vary depending on the intensity of your workout. [2]

Drink sports drinks that contain sodium while working out to prevent the loss of too much sodium from your body through sweat.

3

Increase your protein intake. Protein provides your body with energy to help burn calories. A high-protein diet is essential as you increase the impact of your workouts.

Avoid fatty cuts of meat. Choose leaner options whenever possible. This will help your fat intake as well as control your cholesterol.

Fish, chicken, eggs, and beef are all good sources of protein.

Protein shakes and mixes can be an effective way to increase the protein in your diet, but this is typically unnecessary unless you are aiming for large muscle gains.

4

Add some spice to your meal. Some spices can actually increase your metabolism and help you burn calories quicker. Add some to your cooking to bring the heat and shed the pounds. [3]

Cayenne pepper burns fat and suppresses the appetite. It also speeds up your metabolism, which burns more calories.

Cinnamon can raise your metabolism as well. It also lowers blood sugar and LDL cholesterol.

Black pepper helps improve digestion and burn fat. According the University of Oklahoma, it can potentially burn as many calories as walking for 20 minutes.

Mustard powder can increase your metabolic rate by as much as 25%.

Ginger reduces appetite and improves the metabolism. It also aids in digestion.

5

Avoid processed foods. Prepared and processed foods are full of the worst kinds of ingredients. They often contain many preservatives and artificial additives. Fast food is high in saturated fats and sodium.

Many processed vegetables lose most of their nutritional value by the time they reach your plate.

Mass produced food often contains high-fructose corn syrup, a carbohydrate that does not break down very easily and is converted almost directly into fat.

Take the extra time to prepare your own meals. Not only will you know everything that you are putting in, but you will have control over how it is prepared so as to keep the most nutrients.

6

Evaluate your carbohydrate intake. Carbohydrates should make up approximately 50% of your daily caloric intake. Carbohydrates are essential for providing energy and regulating the digestive system. There are three basic forms of carbohydrates:

Sugar. This is the simplest form of carbohydrate. Sugar is found naturally in fruits and vegetables.

Focus on high fiber foods such as fruits and vegetables. Try to eat as fresh as possible. Avoid canned products with added sugar.

Choose whole grains over refined grains. Whole grains are a much better source of fiber than refined, and some studies show added heart benefits to diets rich in whole grains.

Stay away from added sugar. A little bit won't hurt you, but too much added sugar can quickly lead to weight gain.

7

Eat when you're hungry. One of the quickest ways to negate any weight loss is by eating when you're not hungry.

Eating out of boredom is a common stumble. Try chewing a piece of gum when you're bored to take your mind off of food. Remind yourself that your meal is coming up soon.

Emotional eating is another trap that many fall into. Food is often seen as a way to comfort ourselves. When you get the urge to grab a comfort snack, try some light exercise to work off some of the emotion and distract you from eating.

Avoid snacking while watching TV. TV and processed snacks go together so well, but next time reach for an apple instead of popcorn. People rarely eat while watching TV because they are hungry, instead they have formed a habit. Work to recognize and break that habit.

Avoid midnight snacks. Eating before bed will increase the calories you have consumed for the day without giving you the opportunity to work them off. What you eat before bed doesn't turn directly into fat, but it will slow your weight loss progress down.

8

Eat regular, balanced meals. There is lots of conflicting information about whether more, smaller meals are better than a few larger ones. Some studies have shown that smaller meals throughout the day has no effect on metabolism and can actually lead to overeating.[4] For best results, stick to a well balanced breakfast, a light lunch, and a healthy dinner, with a nutritious snack once or twice a day.

9

Make sure your diet is enjoyable. In order to see any success, you have to make long-term changes to your diet. Make sure you're eating healthy foods that you enjoy, otherwise you will have a hard time sticking with it.

Experiment with different ways to prepare foods that you aren't very fond of. You may find a recipe that allows you to enjoy something healthy that you otherwise wouldn't.

Get into the habit of cooking your own meals. The satisfaction from creating a delicious, healthy dinner will help motivate you to continue doing so.

Method 3 of 3: Exercising

1

Measure your base heart rate. While resting, place two fingers on your wrist near the center so that you can feel your heart rate pulse. Use a timer or a clock with a second hand, and count your pulse for 15 seconds. Multiply this by 4 and you have your resting heart rate. [5]

Your Maximum Heart Rate (MHR) is roughly 220 minus your age. So if you are 30, your MHR would be about 190.

Your target heart rate while exercising vigorously should be around 70-80% of your MHR.

These numbers will help you gauge the intensity of your workouts.

2

Stretch. Stretch before and after each workout, making sure to focus on the muscles that were being worked.

Stretching will reduce soreness, which will help you stay on top of your workout schedule.

Stretching is essential in preventing injury while working out.

When stretching, use slow movements. Avoid bouncing or pulling. Hold each stretch until you feel a strong burn.

3

Start your routine with a low-intensity exercise. As you are getting started, you will want to ease into your workouts.

Try to get 30 minutes of physical activity in each day.

Low intensity workouts will not cause your breathing to increase significantly. If you can easily carry on a conversation, then it's low intensity.

Your target heart rate for a low intensity workout should be around 40% of your MHR.

Anything from a brisk walk to mowing the lawn can be a low impact activity. Incorporate these into your daily routine for a week or two before moving on.

4

Begin moderate intensity workouts. Once you have a week or so of low impact workouts under your belt, you can start moving a bit faster.

Jogging or power walking is a great way to get into a moderate workout. Bicycling on relatively flat terrain is another good way to get moving.

Your target heart rate should be around 60% of your MHR.

You should start noticing a quickening of breath and sweat after about 10 minutes.

5

Vigorous workouts. Once you start noticing that your moderate workouts aren't pushing your system very hard, you can start ramping up to a more intense workout.

Your target heart rate for a vigorous workout should be around 80% of your MHR.

Running, cycling hills, rowing, and most competitive sports such as basketball or tennis provide a vigorous workout.

At this point in your workout regimen, you should be working out almost daily for at least 30 minutes.

Be sure to continue and expand upon your stretches as your intensity increases. This will help keep you limber, improve your flexibility and performance, and help you avoid injury.

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